Monolithic wall molding machine



May 17, 1949. F. E. WITHROW 2,470,671

' monom'rmc WALL MOLDING mcumn 7 Filed April 16, 1947 nvmvrox. Floyd 5. W/fhrow Patented May 17, 1949 UNITED STATE$ PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in monolithic wall molding machines, and has particular reference to a machine for progressively constructing a wall or similar structure of a plastic material, which when hardened forms a monolithic structure free of any so called mortar joints.

The principal object of this invention is to produce a machine which permits a continuous operation with a minimum amount of equipment.

A further object of this invention is to produce a device which may be readily transported and set up adjacent the wall to be constructed.

A still further object is to produce a device which is economical to manufacture, easy to operate and one which reduces the labor element to a minimum.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

Fig. l is a side elevation of my device as the same appears in use, and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View showing my device in use.

In the building of concrete walls it has been customary to employ form boards which are first erected at a considerable cost, both as to material and time as well as labor; to then place plastic concrete therebetween, and later to remove the forms. The lumber used for erecting the forms is then of but little value for further use, due to the warpage, breakage, etc.

Applicant has, therefore, devised a machine wherein concrete in a plastic state may be placed between a pair of movable plates, which plates may be moved longitudinally and vertically as the various courses of the wall progress, thus eliminating the use of form boards and the cost of their erection and removal.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be noted that I have provided spaced horses 5 and 6, which horses in turn support parallel rails i, only one of which is shown in the figure.

Suspended from the rails l are vertical tracks 3, 9, H and [2 (see Fig. 2). The cross sectional shape of the tracks 8, 9, H and I2 is the same as the rails i. The tracks 8, 9, H and 12 are mounted on rollers which travel in the rails l, the purpose of which will be later seen.

The lower ends of the tracks 8, 9, l l and I2 are each provided with a roller l3, which rollers bear against ground supported guides M, which guides are positioned on the opposite sides of the wall to be constructed.

Slidably mounted on each of the tracks 8 and ii and ii and I2 respectively are plates Ill and El respectively. Each of these plates is resiliently supported by rubber blocks I8 and each carries an electric vibrator I9.

These blocks l8 also have rollers 2!, which rollers ride within the tracks in a manner which is obvious.

In order to raise and lower the plates I provide a pair of cables, as shown at 22, which have their upper ends connected to the tops of the tracks and have their lower ends wound upon drums 23, which drums may be rotated through the medium of a crank lever 24 and a ratchet 26, which ratchet is held against retrograde movement by a dog 21.

The result of this construction is that when my device is set up adjacent a wall to be constructed the ground guides are first positioned parallel to the wall side and the horses 5 and t are then erected so as to support a pair of parallel rails i above and parallel to the wall side, from which rails are suspended the tracks, the lower ends of which have rolling engagement with the ground guides.

These tracks in turn support the opposed plates it and ii, which at the beginning of the operaation are lowered until their lower edges engage the ground or other supporting surface upon which the wall is to be built.

In the very first pouring of material between the plates it is necessary to place a retaining board at one end and between the plates to prevent the plastic material from flowing out of the form thus made.

As soon as the material is placed between the two plates the vibrators l9 are set in motion with the result that the mass between the plates is vibrated until it becomes a homogeneous structure and of sufiicient solidity to be self-supporting, which requires but a few moments time, after which the plates l6 and I! are moved horizontally together with the tracks upon which they are supported, the upper end of the tracks moving in the rails I.

As soon as a new position has been reached more material may be placed between the plates, as shown in Fig. 2, the vibration of the vibrators solidifying this material until it is self -supporting, after which the entire suspended device is again moved, thus progressively building a wall, as shown in Fig. 2.

When it is desired to construct a further course the plates I6 and I! are elevated and the procedure followed as above outlined.

It will thus be seen that I have produced a device wherein a wall structure can be continuously formed with a plastic material and without the evidence of any bonding seams commonly termed mortar joints.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a monolithic wall machine. a .pair of spaced parallel overhead rails, opposed pairs of spaced parallel vertical rails having roller connection at their upper ends-with said overhead rails, said vertical rails having channel shaped cross-section with the flanges of the channel having inturned lips spaced to provide a slot, vertically spaced guide rollers in each vertical rail, cushioning means carried by said guide rollers, and a pair of mold plates each supported from a respective overhead rail by a pair of the vertical rails and the guide-rollers carried thereinsaid cushioning means being interposed between the vertical supports and the plates.

2. In a monolithic wall machine, a pair of spaced parallel overheadrails, opposed pairs of spaced parallel verticalrails having roller connection at their upper ends with said overhead rails, said vertical rails having channel shaped cross-section with the flanges of the channel having inturned lips spaced to provide a slot, vertically spaced guide rollers in each vertical rail, cushioning means carried by said guide rollers, a pair of mold plates each supported from a respective overhead rail by a pair of the vertical rails and the guide rollers carried thereinsaid cushioning means being interposed between the vertical supports and the plates, and an electric vibrator for each plate located on the outer side thereof.

3. In a monolithic wall machine, a pair of spaced parallel overhead rails, opposed pairs of spaced parallel vertical rails having roller connection t their upper ends with said overhead rails, said vertical rails having channel shaped cross-section with the flanges of the channel having inturned lips spaced to provide a slot, vertically spaced guide rollers in each vertical rail, cushioning means carried by said guide rollers, a pair. of mold plates each supported from a respective overhead rail by a pair of the vertical rails and the guide rollers carried therein said cushioning means being interposed between the vertical supports and the plates, and means to raise and lower said plates While guided by said vertical guides.

4. In a monolithic wall machine, a pair of spaced parallel overhead rails, opposed pairs of spaced parallel vertical rails having roller connection at their upper ends with said overhead rails, said vertical rails having channel shaped cross-section with flanges of the channel having inturned lips spaced to provide a slot, vertically spaced guide rollers in each vertical rail, cushioning means carried by said guide rollers, a pair of mold plates each supported from a respective overhead rail by a pair of the vertical rails and the guide rollers carried therein said cushioning means being interposed between the vertical supports and the plates, means to raise and lower said plates while guided by said vertical guides, and an electric vibrator for each plate located on the outer side thereof.

5. In a monolithic wall machine, a pair of spaced parallel overhead rails, opposed pairs of spaced parallel vertical rails having roller connection at their upper ends with said overhead rails, said vertical rails having channel shaped cross-section with the flanges of the channel having inturned lips spaced to provide a slot, vertically spaced. guide rollers in each vertical guide, cushioning means carried by said guide rollers, a pair of mold plates each supported from a respective overhead rail by a pair of the vertical rails and theguide rollers carried therein said cushioning means being interposed between the vertical supports and the plates, a winch mounted on each plate, and cables wound on each winch and extending upward to a respective overhead guide.

6. In a monolithicv wall machine, a pair of spaced parallel overhead rails, opposed pairs of spaced parallel vertical rails having roller connection at their upper ends with said'overhead rails, said vertical rails having channel shaped cross-section with the flanges of the channel having inturned lips spaced to provide a slot, vertically spaced guide rollers in each vertical guide, cushioning means carried by said'guide rollers, a pair of mold plates each supported from a respective overhead rail by a pair of the vertical rails and the guide rollers carried therein said cushioning means being interposed between the vertical supports and the plates, a winch mounted on each plate, cables wound on each winch and extending upward to a respective overhead'guide, and anelectric vibrator for each plate located on the outer side thereof.

7. In a monolithic wall machine, over-head rail means, opposed pairs of parallel vertical rails channel shaped in cross section and spaced along said machine, trolleys rolling on said over-head rail means, and having said vertical rails connected thereto, vertically spaced guide rollers engaging respective channels of said vertical rails, cushioning means carried by said guide rollers, a pair of mold plates each supported by a pair of vertical rails and the guide rollers engaging the same, said cushioning means being interposed between the vertical rails and the mold plates.

FLOYD E. WITHROW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 777,633 Hibbard Dec. 13, 1904 937,781 Eddy Oct. 26, 1909 1,787,449 Jackson Jan. 6, 1931 1,894,676 Dresser Jan. 17, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 203,088 Great Britain Sept. 10, 1923 

